Temple is delighted to announce the official launch of the Heathrow – ‘Your Community, Your Voice’ – digital participation platform developed by Temple on behalf of the Heathrow Community Engagement Board (HCEB).
The independent platform has been specifically developed to enable people living, working near or affected by Heathrow airport to have their say on how they would like their communities to develop alongside the airport.
The platform is designed to be a valuable source of news, ideas, information, case studies and reference material for those with an interest. It is also designed to help local communities to have their views, suggestions and stories about their life ‘living with an airport as a neighbour’ to be heard. As such, it is hoped the platform will prove a useful resource for local communities and individuals alike; helping to build consensus and empowering them to better engage and respond to Heathrow’s day to day operation and expansion plans, through any consultation, consenting, construction and operational phases.
This digital participation platform has been six months in the planning, design and testing, to make sure it offers an interactive, functional and user-friendly experience that will encourage participation from a wide audience. Developed by Temple in collaboration with HCEB, key stakeholders and industry experts, the platform is available on a desktop or mobile device. It provides users with the ability to “pin” their ideas for the future of Heathrow and the surrounding area on an interactive map; to leave their views through completion of a “quick survey”; and to vote for their favourite suggestions. The responses shared on the platform will also be collated into an evidence-base to map the role Heathrow airport and other parties could play in improving the environment, the economy and the lives of those in the immediate and surrounding neighbourhoods.
HCEB commented:” This platform is a big step in making sure people have an opportunity to put forward their ideas and views about living next to the airport and we envisage developing and adding to it over time, providing a long-term means of sharing ideas and encouraging constructive discussions between the communities we represent and Heathrow airport”.
Mark Skelton, Temple Executive Director, said “Through our experience in community engagement on complex infrastructure projects, we know the value of listening to affected communities. This digital participation platform provides communities around Heathrow with a stronger voice in discussions about their future. We hope everyone positively engages with the platform to develop an inclusive and sustainable vision for the future, enabling those communities most effected to thrive, not just survive, alongside any expansion of the airport”.
Editors note:
The HCEB is completely independent from Heathrow airport and government and was set up to increase community and stakeholder participation in Heathrow’s planning and decision-making processes. It also works with local people to provide challenge and scrutiny of the airport’s day-to-day operations and expansion proposals. For further information, please visit their website: https://www.hceb.org.uk